Getting Motivated to excercise

Chandi Schwab
Motivation isn't something that just happens to you, but something you create for yourself. Exercise may be all about moving the body, but you won't get anywhere until you move your mind first. Getting past your mental roadblocks can open the door for new ideas and new attitudes. Here are some great tips to help you get motivated.
1. Accept the fact that you have to exercise: If you spend most of your time sitting and you want to lose weight and get healthy, exercise is a must. Nothing, no pill or diet or surgical procedure can take the place of being active. Making peace with that fact often makes doing it a little easier. Exercise doesn't have to happen in a gym or take up hours of your time. Knowing you can create your own exercise experience may help you get up and get moving.
2. Acknowledge your lifestyle: In the past, we had more reasons to move. We had to cut our own grass, wash our dishes by hand, walk to public transportation stops. ect... The point is, things are different today and we can't go back to the past. Most of us aren't going to get rid of our computers, TVs, cars and cell phones and that isn't necessarily the answer. After all, these things are useful and important to us. But, these things can contribute to our health problems if we let them take over. Acknowledging your responsibility as well as a need to find balance brings you one step closer to changing how you live.
3. Make exercise mean something to you: For many people, exercise is a means to an end -- a way to lose weight and get that perfect body...or at least a better one than they have now. Future goals are nice, but there's another part to the equation that, when missing, makes exercise hard to stick to: Purpose. In other words, your workouts need to have value, regardless of whether you ever reach your desired goal. Always working for some future, intangible thing isn't enough - we need it to mean something now.
So, what does exercise mean to you besides a way to lose weight? Is there any value, outside of your weight loss goals, to working out? For me, exercise is a way to reduce stress and keep my energy up. For you, exercise might be the only time you get to yourself each day. Find you're own value and meaning and you'll find your motivation.
4. Find your own exercise path: Too often, the mainstream idea of exercise involves things like health clubs, cardio machines, fitness classes, etc. That's unfortunate if the thought of doing those things makes you cringe. Here's some good news -- you have the freedom to do whatever activities you like. If you hate the gym, you don't have to join one to get fit. If you hate the repetition and boredom of machines, you can try more interactive things like basketball or spin class. If you like to keep things simple, you could take several walks throughout the day or add some laps the next time you shop at the mall. Find out what you like and forget the rules.
(About.com)

Celebrate good times come on

Scott Schwab
Today I wanted to write about some of the mental aspects to health. We have spoken in the past that the body has more of a difficult time losing weight, when the body is in a state of stress. It is actually easier for a body to gain weight when stressed then to lose weight. It comes down to the chemicals regulating your body and relates very much to endorphins present. The side benefit to endorphins, is that exercise can and does improve a person's mood, which can alleviate symptoms of depression and encourage the body to burn more fat. The release of endorphins is an appetite suppressant, which means that those who exercise will eat less than they normally would. Additionally, the analgesic effect of the endorphins on the body means that people who are exercising won't feel as much pain. When combined with the mood-lifting effects that endorphins also create, the analgesic effect encourages those who are exercising to do it more frequently and for longer periods in order to achieve this pleasant effect. It would appear that by doing exercise and getting to that level of runners high; you will actually be able to achieve more. I believe that a happy feeling created by doing something good for your body or enjoyable, allows that feeling to spread in other areas. At times we get so wrapped up in life, that we forget how to enjoy the daily walk. If you can learn to expel energy in enjoyable ways, you will get more energy back and by the creation of endorphins, you will be generally a happier person.

Quote time

Scott Schwab
Hey yall, I hope everyone had a great weekend. I know I did. I was able to pore about 4 yards of concrete and finish up a project at our house that has been badly needed. Anyway I wanted to write and get a quote out for those of you who will be browsing the web tonight and something fresh to start your week off right. I have read and had conversations surrounding the economy lately, and I wanted to pass on a word of advice. The thing that helps me more than anything is the fear of losing. Other people are designed as the reward of winning. For instance the fact that I hate to lose drives me harder and longer than a reward. Some would say they are very similar, but I believe that they are vastly different. In these troublesome times we all are having lows. The best thing that you can do is stay positive. There is no room for getting down on yourself, because most of us right now are having some challenge. If you are not, count yourself lucky. It is OK to have difficult times, as long as you emerge a victor. Not that you will always win, but that you will have learned something and bettered yourself. The ultimate goal is to "Act not React". Those simple words are a huge antidote for anyone looking to better their situation. It takes a lot of control and more than anything, complete control of your emotions. Look at your life and past experiences and look at ways that you either acted or reacted. Emotion causes motion, so get involved and make a clear stand on what you want to do and how you are going to do it. Leave No Doubt!

Dieting vs eating healthy

Scott Schwab
Everyone that I have been talking to lately, seems to be on some type of diet. There are many commercials and infomercials, that are advertising great rates at Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers. There has been enough money spent on dieting that we could cure world hunger. The fact is: many of us need help and assistance to lose weight, but you should not have to pay for it. There are a couple of key steps that will help you stay off dieting and simply live healthy. The first step is to set boundaries for yourself. One might be, I will not eat a whole bag of cookies, chips, or ice cream in one sitting. This may or may not be you, but from my experience, if there is junk food around, then I will eat it until it is gone. I start to think, well if I eat it all today, then I don't have to look at it later, and I will start tomorrow anyway. Does this sound familiar. Having a cookie or some chips, is not the end of the world and I personally believe that you should be able to eat these things, just in moderation. so set boundaries. The next thing is to give yourself a reason. Why are you wanting to get in shape. Is it for your children, your spouse, yourself? Whatever the reason, you need to make sure that you do it for yourself and have that be what you always come back too. Set goals! My wife has a 3x5 card on our mirror that has all of her measurements. In this way she is accountable and has something to look at during the day. The final step is to eat healthy. Sounds easy, but it really is more involved, much more involved. To eat healthy takes planning and time. It is much easier to grab something quick, that is apparent. However; the benefits of planning will help you in more ways than just diet. It helps in budgeting, turning off cravings, doing what you say you're going to do. In this way your subconscious mind will know, that when you say you will do something or wont do something, that it will happen. Our mind can be our worst enemy or our greatest support. That depends on if we can control our cravings and desires through our thoughts. Many of us do not know where to start and are to embarrassed to ask. That is where I was when I first made the decision to live healthy. I had a friend sit down and write me a meal plan. At this point Chandi, Drew, and I will do the same. Just let us know. We would need to know your schedule, what you usually eat, and what your goals are. In this way we will get you a meal plan that will work for you and you can get started. One more thing. Whenever you are dieting or eating healthy, you always need to include exercise. Exercise and good eating go hand in hand. Let us know where we can help and have a great start to your weekend.

Myth Buster

Scott Schwab
There is a myth that is currently in most of our minds. The myth is that if we eat before we workout, all we are really doing is burning off what we just ate. Though there is a connection to the caloric intake and what we burn, we should not be thinking in that way. Like a car, we are required to have fuel to run our body; like gasoline. Though gasoline helps to run a car, it is only part of the process. There are other fluids and oil needed to help a car run correctly. Our body needs food and especially water. The benefits to food and water are endless, but it has to be the right food and correct amounts of water. Health books and magazines would tell you that the correct amount of calories would be 2000 for a day. This is true, but we also have to look at a couple of things with that. Calories are one thing, but we should also pay attention to fat, sugars, and carbohydrates. If you are working out heavy, you should actually be around 2500 to 3000. I am always asked by guys wanting to put on weight, how they can do that and make it muscle. You would need to double the caloric intake and put a lot of fuel into your body. To lose weight is not the same figure. Sometimes people will try and cut the caloric intake down to 1500-1000. This is not safe and does not produce results in the long run. The reason why, is that generally if you are only trying to eat the bare minimum; you are starving yourself. You may not feel hungry all the time, but when you go for longer than 3 hours without food, your body starts to store fat and feed off muscle. The body prepares itself for long times without food and in a way starts to shut down your metabolism and other processes that actually help eliminate toxins and excess food. This is why, when you eat every couple of hours, you are doing more for your body than taking a nightly walk. Reason being is that you are letting your body stay balanced and on track. Gravity and consumption allow for a quickened metabolism and exit of foods that usually sit around for awhile. This is why it is important to pack a snack, not a snack pack. Vegetables are the best, but fruit will work too. The most important thing is that you are not indulging in high fat, high sugar, and processed crap. It has very little energy in the food, and because of the processed nature; will allow for more bloating and retention of water. That combination usually makes it difficult to get to the gym and be motivated to do anything. The key to having balance, is to eat small meals, spaced about every two hours. This way you are not stretching your stomach every 4-5 hours and increasing the amount that you can eat each meal. The body needs fuel and a jump start before a workout is highly recommended. So let your mind be at ease with eating a small amount before a workout. Do not have a huge meal, have fast food, or eat something sugary. As you progress through your workout and your body is breaking down your food, the more pure the food, the more energy produced for your body. The more energy produced for your body, the better the workout! It is a cycle that if you master, you will see the pounds melt off and satisfaction and consistency for your health go through the roof. So bottom line is to eat when you wake up and keep it consistently every 2 hours throughout the day. Remember that water consumption is essential as well and you should be looking at drinking half of your weight in ounces.

Eat more veggies!

Chandi Schwab
Vegetables are a great food choice when it comes to snacking.They are low in fat and calories, a good source of dietary fiber and provide us with extra energy. All these features help control weight effectively. Being low in calories enables us to eat lots of vegetables without consuming excess energy, the high fiber content also helps fill the stomach faster limiting the total amount of food consumed. The presence of many vitamins and other chemicals in vegetables supply the body with nutrients necessary to boost energy production within the muscle cells. This give us a natural feeling of vitality and the energy to become more active helping to burn more energy each day.
Vegetables are also low in sodium so they help reduce water gains. Sodium is present in virtually all processed foods, it causes the body to hold water within the interstitial areas of the body. It has been estimated that many average people may be holding up to 5 pounds of additional water caused from a high intake of sodium. Any reduction in sodium intake will help lose water weight and if we eat more vegetables our sodium intake naturally lowers.
There are many different ways to enjoy veggies.Be creative. The best way to recieve the nutrients from vegetables is to steam them and mash them.Good Luck!!
Great reasons for eating vegetables to benefit with losing weightLow in fat
-Low in calories
-Less water retention - low in sodium
-Fill stomach quickly - high in fiber
-Increased vitality due to high nutrient content

Breathing correctly while exercising

Chandi Schwab
Today at the gym I felt like I couldn't get the oxygen that I needed for my workout.I think that there is a cold a brewin in my chest and that isn't helpful.It seemed to really affect my workout.It got me thinking about the importance of breathing correctly while we work out.Do you ever find yourself getting lightheaded or nauseous?Breathing correctly not only helps us stay safe but helps ensure our workout to be worth it. I did some research and here is what I found.
Breathing can greatly affect your routine exercises and how you feel after exercising.If you fail to concentrate properly on your breathing technique, then you can feel a difficulty in exercising and at times, it can also mislead you in a wrong way of exercising.Improper breathing can greatly interfere in the burning of excess calories and it might not encourage your body in burning excess fat.So, it is very essential for you to practice exact breathing techniques to get more out of your regular routines. Here are certain essential things, which you need to know about breathing while exercising
Oxygen helps you in burning fat! Is it true?
Your body needs water and increased levels of oxygen, the major sources to burn excess fat. When you are practicing various exercises to burn more fat from your body, you have to considerably increase your regular intake of water.
As you add more water and oxygen to your body system, it is possible for your body to use the retained water for excretion. Deep breathing generates oxygen in your body and helps you a lot in burning excess fat of your body.
Breathing while weight training or resistance exercise:It is widely known that while lifting weights or performing resistance exercises (for example: body weight), it is best to exhale during exertion and inhale during release. For example, if you are curling a dumbbell, you would exhale as you curl up and inhale on the way back down. If you were performing a crunch, you would exhale as you crunch up and inhale as you release your abs on the way down.
Breathing while running :You can read up on all sorts of breathing techniques for running but what it all boils down to is that everyone is different. What works for some may not work for others. Some techniques I’ve come across include:
-Breathe out when your left foot strikes the ground (supposed to relieve side cramps on your right side)
-If you run to music, sing along (helps control breathing)
-Use long deep breaths while inhaling and exhaling
-Breathe in two quick breaths through the nose, then two quick breaths out through the mouth
This is simple and very helpful.So, the best advice is to be aware of your breathing during your regular exercise sessions. Concentrate more on pushing air out rather than sucking it in. Make a habit of breathing in through your nose and if possible try to breathe out through your mouth. Try to get addicted to a good breathing rhythm and stick to it every time you practice body workouts and enjoy the success in maintaining better health and fitness.

Quote of the day

Scott Schwab
I found a great quote for today's post. It is Bill Gates; who has become a household name, an icon, and one of the most wealthy men in the world. I am sure that we all know how he got his start, but if you don't look it up. His story is one that the person starts with an idea and very little beyond that. I personally believe; that is where the best things come from. In this quote he is speaking about companies, but I am going to reference that to all of us as individuals. The quote reads:

"The complacent company (IE individual), is a dead company (IE. individual). Success today requires the agility and drive to constantly rethink, reinvigorate, react, and reinvent". Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft

My thoughts with this are simply this; if we become complacent at life, we stop living and actually start dying. We have all seen this in individuals, and perhaps within ourselves at times. Little by little life stops being as enjoyable and then we have very little to be happy about. That being said, do the things that you enjoy! As a married couple Chandi and I are constantly trying to balance work, kids, community, play, etc. There are certain things that as an individual she needs and certain things that I need. Work on your needs and once they are taken care of, go after your wants. To often we chase our wants, and our needs take a back seat. Keep a good perspective and do what you enjoy.

Catch up

Scott Schwab
In hearing from different friends and family; Saturday seems like one of those days when you catch up on all your to do's and listen to Michael Bolton. Just kidding, well maybe, anyway the point is this. Most of us don't take the time to go to the gym on Saturdays and that can be OK. I think Saturday is the best day to do something that you love. Even something that you need to do and sprinkle a little love on it works great. For example I love to be outside, but I do not love to do yard work. So what I do is get some music to pump me up and run with the lawn mower. This helps me to get some needed cardio and it is less painful with the music. With College football and so many other things that compete with our time on Saturdays, I would recommend anything that you can do to get the heart rate up. The reason why, is that most of us find ourselves either eating unhealthily on weekends and/or going out. Having date nights are great, unfortunately, many times we eat like it is our last meal. As a rule if you go out, eat half of what is on the plate. This will help with portion control and calorie intake. It will take a person until mid week to get back in the feel of things if they have a weekend full of unhealthy eating and sitting around. I am not saying you have to be as strict on weekends as during the week, but I am saying that you should pace yourself and be in a position to start fresh and strong on Monday. The more you can build on your weeks, the better your results will be week in and week out. So today go do something that gets that heart racing or at least get out and do something for your body. Have a great weekend.

Question from one of our readers

Anonymous:Could you recommend exercises to help keep boobs perky? Help fight gravity? I've been doing arm and chest exercises, but will this really help keep my boobs up?

This is a great question.I love it!Many women are looking to enhance the tone, lift and firmness of their breasts through exercise. While some may think that exercise for the chest may actually make the breasts appear smaller, in most cases the opposite is true. As long as there is not a significant weight loss along with doing these breast toning and firming exercises, most women who strengthen their pectoral muscles will notice an increase in firmness and lift, along with a more rounded “perkier” look to their bust line. Here Are some exercises you can do to enhance the shape,lift,and tone of your breasts.
1)The “fly” or butterfly: With 2-3 lb. weights. Lie on your back with your arms extended out to the sides of your body. Lift both arms (with weights) off of the floor simultaneously to the point of a “V” in front of your face. Repeat 10-15 times.
2)Modified push ups: Doing a modified push up, on your knees, with arms extended out toward the sides or your body is an excellent breast toning and firming exercise. Be sure the angle of the push up is working the side of your arms where the arm meets the breast, as well as squeezing the pectoral muscles gently with each repetition.
3)Extend your arm in front of your body, at a ninety degree angle to your midsection. Take your other arm and gently squeeze the extended arm into your chest, feeling the side of the breast (pectoral) muscle squeezing. Repeat ten times on each side.
4)Any time you are at your desk or sitting, an excellent bust enhancing exercise is to gently squeeze both arms into the sides of the breasts, feeling the side of the pectoral muscle contract gently. Hold for a few seconds. This exercise is a great re-energizer for those with desk jobs and can be done discreetly and frequently, virtually unnoticed.
These exercises will also help improve and tone your arms.Good Luck!!
(reference:Natural-Breast-Guide.com)

Eat right

Scott Schwab
Ladies and gentlemen, I want to bring something to every ones attention in regards to eating and living. If you do not eat right you will pay the price and eventually have serious circumstances. Circumstances that range from heart disease, kidney and organ failure, not to mention diabetes. This can be prevented, but it takes a lot of discipline and work. People today are carrying their weight around their mid section, which is the most dangerous place to carry the excess weight. The reason for the danger is this is where many of your organs are. That being said, it can be prevented by healthy eating and avoidance of fatty foods. Eating out will be my main suggestion. I have posted on this before, but I don't think I have explained just how bad it is for you. As you eat more fatty foods and do not get the proper exercise and rest; your body cannot keep up with burning the fat. We are eating out more than ever and not getting to the gym or getting exercise as much as we need. The other suggestion that I have is to eliminate the frozen foods like burritos and pizzas. Really you are getting less nutritional value than you probably think. One thing that is for sure is the fruits and veggies. Eat them like candy, literally. You will notice a healthier feel and the more you do it the better you will feel. Also, you really wont be putting on a lot of weight by gorging on fruits and vegetables. Think about it; fruits and veggies are easy to take with you and provide a lot more nutritional value and satisfaction that a greasy burger and fries will. Another thing that I will recommend is a cleansing diet and a 24 hour period of no food. In this way you will shrink your stomach and cleanse out the toxins. Honestly our stomachs are stretched more than they need to be and this is due to the meal sizes. Going out and eating at restaurants skews our size of meals and subconsciously we eat more each meal. The suggestion that I will make is to pack veggies and fruits with you as you go to work or out for the day. Put away the cool card and pull out the Tupperware. It takes a little planning, but can actually be pretty easy and the benefits are endless. STOP!!!!!! eating fast food everyday. Monitor what you eat and make a plan to eliminate the high risk living by eating right.

Knock off Knee Fat

Chandi Schwab
This is mostly for women but maybe some of you men feel this way as well.Stubborn fat on top of the knees.The kind you can grab and do a Popeye the sailor man impression with. What can we do to minimize it? Here is what I found...
1)Reduce body fat
Exercise and eat right to help reduce your overall body weight. It’s nearly impossible to spot-reduce any specific area without major surgery – including your knees – but if you focus on lowering your overall body fat you will naturally reduce this area as well.
2)Lessen Sodium Intake
Reduce the amount of sodium consumed in your diet. Sodium can cause water retention, which will result in an overall puffed-up look. A bit of sodium is necessary in any diet, so look for foods that are low-sodium and contain plenty of water as water helps to flush your system. Fill up on whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
3)Train Surrounding Muscles
Build muscle in the major areas surrounding your knees. If you focus on building up lean muscle mass in both your calves and your inner and outer thighs, this will help to make your knees look more slender and lend the appearance of less knee fat.Lunges and squats work great.Cardio is always important to help burn fat and to shed those extra pounds.Especially in your legs.
If you are happy with the rest of your body but can't get rid of that stubborn knee fat it is most likely water weight or hereditary.Remember to be happy with yourself, especially if you are always working hard to become better.Good luck!

Bust your butt

Scott Schwab
I continue to hear from many readers that the area that they would like to see some results is there butt. It is unfortunate that as time passes our butts succumb to gravity and we start to notice a butt that was once tight and right, is no flabby. The truth is, most of us focus on areas other than our bottom when working out. This is actually an area that should receive a little love at least once a week. I personally like to incorporate my hips and legs into the days and make it a lower body workout. However, this is not about a lower body workout. This is about getting that butt back. The number one thing that I can tell a person is doing stairs or something that emulates the action of lifting your leg. I saw a lady doing an interesting workout the other day and it seemed to be one that worked. What you do is stand next to a bench, being right next to the bench but not facing it, and begin by taking your foot closest to the bench and putting it up on the bench, followed by the other foot, until you are standing on the bench. You will descend to the other side; again leading with the foot that is closest to the other side. You don't want to cross feet, being that this could cause some serious injury. The faster that you go, the better it will work. Another one that I feel is somewhat similar and good to do. Stand in a similar position except face the bench. You will put your one foot barely on the bench and then bring it down to the ground, followed by the other foot. It is like running with high knees. You just barely want to touch the ball of your foot on the bench and pump your arms for speed and balance. The faster you go the better. Another exercise is to actually step up on the bench,(you will be facing the bench), and then you will pivot your foot on the bench to where you will step down on the opposite side but going backwards. Bring the foot that you stepped on the bench with to the ground and switch your lead foot. If you can do both feet 10 times, you are a champ. You will notice that it will also work additional areas of your legs, like your knees, hamstrings, quads and calves. The final work out is to run stairs or run sprints. If you are running sprints make sure you are warming your legs up by doing a couple sprints that aren't at full speed. If you are running stairs keep all reps at 75-100% Do not walk the stairs. Simply going through the motions will not help you. It may reshape the cottage cheese, but really if you want results you have to push yourself further and harder every time you workout. Keep this in mind with all of your workouts. If you are simply going to walk or to get the lowest weight and just lift it a couple of times, you are not going to see great results. Your muscles crave to get worked, so work them. I do not want to sound insensitive, but I see so many people that want results, but do not know what it means to push themselves and sacrifice. You have to sacrifice meals that are high in fat, sugars, calories. Going out to dinner all the time, and avoiding foods that you know are just going to make you fat. A transformation has to happen if a person is to really make a change. So if you want to make the change, sit down make a plan and stick to your goals. At the end of the day it is the people that stick to what they said they would do, that have success and see results, and that applies to all areas of life. So today become one of those people. Start small and end big. Give up pop or candy bars, eating out. Whatever your weakness is, give it up. Because the longer you go with the habit, the more it consumes you. Let me know your thoughts......

A Day at the Gym

Chandi Schwab
I like to switch around my workouts when I go to the gym.There are many different machines and things to use that it can be overwhelming. Why not take advantage of all the different things the gym has to offer. I decided for my post today that I would share an example of what I did at the gym today.
I prefer working out right when I wake up to get my day started out right.I don't want to eat a big meal before I go so I usually grab a handful of almonds with a piece of fruit and water to give me energy for my workout.
I like to do a half hour of cardio(today the elliptical) and then run 2 miles on the treadmill. Other days I pair running with the StairMaster,bicycle,arc machine,ect..
When I am running I start out slow and gradually get faster and then make my way back to cool down.
After I do cardio I lift weights.I switch off arms and legs every other day and do some form of abs every day. Today I did arms with free weights.In between my reps. I did lunges around the basketball court. I am trying to focus on lifting and toning my rear and thighs.Lunges and squats are great for this .I always feel it the next day.
This is a quick summary of a typical day at the gym.It is important to remember that we are all at different levels but it is important to start somewhere.I want to start posting more individual workouts in more detail.I am sure a lot of you don't have time to do this every day so it is always good to do what you can and to improvise.Always set goals and when you reach them set new ones.As you know I am continually trying to live a healthy lifestyle.There are always areas that I can improve though.A shout out to all of you that read our blog! We love your support and would really appreciate feeback in the comment box below.For those of you in the challenge keep up the good work!It isn't to late to start.Good luck!

The ultimate workout

Scott Schwab
I think that I may have found the ultimate workout. I was on the verge of throwing up the entire second half, but now that everything has settled I feel great. Some of you may think that it is weird to be on the verge of throwing up and enjoying it, but that is where my most effective workouts come from. You will start and cycle through almost every muscle group. Some exercises you will use multiple groups and that is fine. I started with regular curls with a curl bar. You will want to take the curl bar and do the 10 reps with hands open towards you and then flip your hands so that your hands closed and looking at your knuckles. You will do 10 reps and then lift the curl bar over your head. You will bring the weight down slow behind your head as low as you can get it and lift all the way up as high as you can get it and then down in front of your face at chest level. You will do a total of 20 reps or 10 in front of your face and 10 behind your head. Cycle in an ab so you have a little time to rest. I used the machine that has foot rests for you to elevate your feet and handles so you can pull your upper body towards your elevated feet. I do a set of 10 with my feet on the ground, a set at the lower foot rest, a set at the higher foot rest, and a set with my feet elevated above the foot rests. Turn to your side and do 20 reps on both sides. Your body is turned and you are laying on your side for these. After you work through this set you will move to the pull-up multi weight system. Do 10 reps and 4 sets of pull-ups and remember if you don't finish, take a break and finish the reps that you didn't. After the pull-ups move into the weights on either side. I would do a back workout, like taking the pulleys on either side and pulling them forward and in front of you for 10 reps and 4 sets. Then move into a tricep/shoulder workout, by taking the single handle and switching to both arms. Stand straight and pull the pulley with the weights straight down. Do both arms and then move the weights all the way to the bottom of the latches. This way you are working your biceps and arm in a different way. Same philosophy with standing straight up and pulling the single handle up towards your chest 10 reps and 4 sets.
After this brief stint with death, you will move into the spider crawls. This is to get next to a wall and do a hand stand. You will use your arms to walk across about a 20 foot area. Keep your feet up on the wall for balance and be as straight up as possible, so as to avoid a back injury. After you do your spider crawls immediately move into push ups. Do the triangle push ups that will work the arms and the inner chest. After your 10 reps, jump up and do sprints. At the gym we go to they have a full length basketball court which I sprint one way and jog back to the starting point and do it again. After this madness you will finish with 100 sit ups or crunches, which ever is more beneficial for you. If anyone can legitimately finish this work out straight through with all your reps and sets in 1 try I will personally pay you a 20 spot. Tape yourself doing it and we will post it on the blog. It's finally Friday so have a good weekend.

8 week challenge Part 2

Congrats to Chandi and Scott on their 8 week challenge. There really couldn't be a more dedicated couple. Their results were great and it just goes to show that if you stay disciplined you WILL achieve your goals. Scott has asked me to do an 8 week challenge as well so I will post my workouts for the next 8 weeks, before and after pictures, and a few key diet foods that will help me along the way. I have always been a fan of full body workouts due to my restricted time schedule and also the amazing hormonal release that comes along with working out your entire body in one session. With intensity super high there is no need to spend hours and hours on the treadmill per week to get that shredded mid section. I will also be incorporating kick boxing 3 days a week and that will suffice for cardio as well. With this workout there should be absolutely no rest if you have a partner. INTENSITY IS KEY!!!!

Week 1

Monday (yesterday) - Bench 1x20 (warm up) 1 x 12(65%) 1x10(75%) 2x8(85%) 1x12(65%)
Leg Press 4x12 (every set you should increase your weight by 25 to 50 lbs)
Lat Pulldown 4x10(75%) (explode as you pull the weight down but then have the upward motion be 3 to 4 seconds)

Incline Bench 3x10(75%)
Leg Curls 3x10(75%)
Seated Rows 3x10(75%)

DB Shoulder Press 4x10(75%)
EZ-Bar Curl 4x12(65 - 75%) Increase weight by 15 to 12 pounds per set
Rope Tri Pushdowns 4x15(80%)

1 max dips
1 max pull ups
1 max dips
1 max pull ups
1 max pushups
2 max crunches (layb on back with medicine ball straight above your chest with arms completely extended and touch your toes with the medicine ball)


Now I know this seems like i might not be covering all of the muscle groups thoroughly, but trust me on this one, it's preparation for the weeks to come.

My supplements ; Whey protein, Creatine, Branched chain amino acid, time released protein, multi-vitamin, multi-mineral, ZMA, triblulus.

If you have any question feel free to ask!

Seeking the soreness

Scott Schwab
This may seem like a strange title, but I wanted to write about a workout that I feel you have to do once in a week. It is a very hard workout, but it is actually proven that soreness is a good thing. See as your muscles grow, they tend to tear and stretch in small ways. The body being the amazing tool that it is, will repair itself by blood flow to the area as well as time. However, with your muscles being resilient, they will recover quickly and be able to do more the next time around, (ie week, every other day, etc). The best mix is to do weights and add in additional exercises that mimic a plyometric workout. This would be push ups, pull ups, sit ups. Any of your core workouts that you would not be able to do on a machine. You can get very creative so do not feel that you are limited by what you have done before or what you have seen other people do. I really think that people probably think that I am retarded when I am at the gym, because I will try and do things that work different areas of my body. Today the workout is going to be based on the upper body. It will help you get the arms toned, chest firm, and your back in shape. Many people overlook the importance of back lifts, but your back is very important for posture and the strength of your abs. You will have better core and abs, if you have a strong in shape back. The first exercise is to do pull ups. Work until you can do 10 reps and 4 sets. If you cannot complete the 10 reps within the set, add them on to the end. Also switch your hands back and forth from being open handed towards you and closed hands away from you. The next exercise is to elevate your feet as high as you can and do push ups. Having your feet on one of the bigger exercise balls will really work your abs great too. Remember to do things that work as many muscle groups as possible. You can also start with putting your feet on a bench too. Keep the consistency of 10 reps and 4 sets. If this is an exercise that is a little easier for you, you may want to do upwards of 25 reps and 4 sets. Know your body and do the things that are going to help the most. The third exercise is actually a combination of two, but we are only going to count as one. Usually in a gym you will have a pull up bar in the middle with weights on either side of the pull up bar. Those weights is what you are looking for. You will set the adjustable notches at the very top latch and connect individual handles on to each. Stand in the middle with your feet together and back straight and adjust the weight accordingly. Take the handles and pull them in as close to your ears as possible. It looks like you are flexing and you really are. Put the weight high enough that you struggle to get it done. The next is to keep one foot forward with feet shoulder width apart. You will be bent over at about a 30 degree angle. Keep your legs slightly bent and pull the handles down straight out in front of you. Again you will want your back slightly bent and your eyes should be straight forward as you reach with the handles out in front of your chest. Keep the same 10 reps and 4 sets, but it is important to adjust the weight that you struggle to get it done. The last exercise you will love. Take two benches and situate them close enough together that you can have your arms on one and your legs on the other. You will be doing some dips, either with weights laying on your legs or with no weight. It is difficult when you are by yourself so you may want to ask for help. If not sit on the bench and put the weight that you would like on your legs. Have your arms ready to lift you up and put your feet up while your butt is still slightly on the bench. Push your butt off the bench and you are ready to do some dips. The important thing is not to just count so you are done. Go as low as you can and even hold for a couple of seconds. This way you are working those shoulders and outer chest like very few workouts can do. Do the 4 sets and 10 reps, but adjust weight when needed. Do not finish with no weight if it is going to be easy. Finish strong and work yourself to burnout. As always add in some abs. For ideas go to the previous ab posts or the one that I do with this exercise is to sit at the end of the bench and you will sit on your hands and elevate your legs. You will keep them out straight in front of you and pull them in as close to your chest as possible. Do 4 sets, but about 50 reps and you will feel the burn. It is also important to add in a stretch each day to stay limber and build those in between muscles and ligaments. Try to elongate your ab muscles by reaching as high above your head as possible and leaning back. Another good stretch is to get on an exercise ball on your back and rock back until your feet are barely on the ground. You can also add in a weight and keep it in hands in front of your abs and while leaning back take the weight above your head and touch the ground. AS you rock back and forth you will feel it in your abs. If you can do this you are truly a ninja.

8 week challenge

There have been some questions surrounding the 8 week challenge that we are starting. The first thing is that you may choose any area of your body that you would like to work on for the 8 weeks. It is not meant to be just an 8 week thing, but to make different challenges acheivable and getting into the habit of setting goals with time constraints. The second clarification is that you can start anytime this week and simply count the days. (For example if you started today you would end on the 3rd of November). The last claification is that you choose an area that you are excited to get in shape and that you will stick with. My husband is choosing his lower back and lower abs. He wants to get rid of his love handles and get his core in shape. Take a before picture, which you will keep, until the end of the 8 weeks when you will submit both of the pictures if you would like. Post in the comment box your commitment, name, and how you will get there. In this way you will help others and be held accountable personally. The main thing is to teach all of us to be more commited to our health and help us to make the goals to get there. We are here to help with whatever you need. If we don't have the answer, the goal is for others to help and provide answers from what they know. In this way, we become a health community, dedicated to helping eachother to get in shape and enjoy life to the fullest. Sorry for the confusion, we hope this is helpful.

Traveling

Scott Schwab
I wanted to write and give a couple of tips for traveling and eating right. Whenever we have traveled in the past we have found ourselves; probably like many of you, in the drive-thru line for some burgers and fries. What better than to let that wonderful grease sit in your tummy with your ride home and wash it down with a sugar drink to top it off. We decided today that we were going to go the subway route. Chandi decided to go the healthy route for our trip today, which consisted with a breakfast before we left and then Subway. It was great because any of you know that as that grease sits it will easily turn into fat and eventually have an adverse effect on your body. Food is your energy, and when we don't have the right food, the energy is not as complete. I have always chosen the biggest burger with the largest fries, thinking to myself that I will not make another stop for the trip. However; I have continually had to make stops in getting additional caffeine and goodies to keep me awake. It finally clicked today when we got wheat hoagies, jammed packed with veggies and good meat and waters to drink. I also know others who pack lunches for kids and adults, thus saving on costs and having great food with energy. The main idea is to plan it out and be prepared. Just like anything in life; if we do not plan, we plan to fail. I have made a new commitment that I will choose water to drink and make a healthy choice at all times. I am getting old enough that my metabolism is slowing to a crawl. Because of this I have to make better decisions. It is easy to stop and grab something unhealthy, whereas the easy way out is not always the best. In monitoring how I feel at the end of the day, I feel great and ready for a great day at the gym and a great week. It is on for my commitment in getting in shape I hope you will join with me and reach your goal. Let us know where we can help. All this week you can post in the comment box what your commitment is and how you will get there. From there we will compute a 8 week challenge and check up with you to see your progress and how we can help. Cheers to the champions!

Quote of the day

Scott Schwab
I am reading a book currently that I feel good about referring to everyone. I picked it up in the airport a couple of weeks ago and have gleamed some great things from the book. It is The Speed of Trust, by Stephen M.R. Covey. The book talks about many helpful hints and has great stories to further teach principles and ideas. "Beginners are many, finishers are few". We all have heard some version of this quote or saying. The main idea is to finish what we start, but also to commit to things in your life and put your heart and mind into it. Living your life with health and happiness is the biggest dividend that you can pay to yourself. Too many people live their life with no regard to how they will feel later, or how the negative effects of being out of shape eventually catch up to you. If you haven't felt it before, feel the urgency now. Spend time focusing on how, decide your why, and get to work and be a finisher. I personally believe that the most valuable trait that a person can have is dependability. Dependability comes from finishing what you start or doing what you say you will do. By tomorrow night at midnight I hope that many of you will join us in taking action to having better health. My commitment is to get my lower back and abs in shape. This will require me to eliminate my love handles. I will do this by consistent exercise, balanced dieting, and a focus on my problem area. Lets do this together, because to me, it is motivating to know that there are others doing the same thing and working hard for what they want. I have heard by phone and email of those who will do the challenge, but I challenge everyone to put your commitment as a comment and take a picture for yourself so you can see results. You can share it, or just keep it for yourself as you have success.

Love the mountains

Scott Schwab
Happy Labor Day to all of you who are enjoying a little R and R. My family has always come to a little piece of heaven known as Colter Bay. It is such a relaxing place and a great way to unwind. I thought that I would post on a workout that I did this morning that all of us could do at home and have great results. First Chandi and I woke up and took a 2 mile run. It was brisk outside and the elevation seemed to effect our speed; however it was just nice to get out and have a light jog. We did decide to sprint the hills, which is so good for your butt and your legs. If you can find a hill by your home or even run stadium stairs, you can really get your butt, thighs, hips, and calves really looking good. There was a time where I was really out of shape during my high school years. My muscles had atrophied quite a bit and I had a lot of cottage cheese. I will share this embarrassing nick name, but you cannot laugh to hard. My friends gave me the nick name for a short stint of Scottage cheese. Yes my body was covered with the friendly curds and it did not look good. I decided to do something about it my Junior year. Wrestling was the means that I decided to take care of the cellulite. We ran everyday, ran stairs every other day and wrestled everyday. All things that we can do at home. All of us can spar with a spouse, roommate, friend, etc. Well maybe not, but you can imagine. My point is, if you want to get rid of that butt fat and leg jiggle, you got to get out and run, run, and run some more. I love squat to keep things in that area tight, but running stairs and hills is very similar. The other workout that we did was in the cabin. I grabbed 3 chairs and situated them so my feet would be on one chair and each arm would be on the other tow chairs. You will want to spread them far enough apart that you can go past what a normal push up would provide with the ground being there. It is such a good stretch and works your arms, chest, back, biceps, triceps, and even your abs if you will flex them as you are going up and down. After that exercise move the 2 chairs out and keep your feet up on the chair. What you will do next is balance with one foot on the chair other leg suspended in the air and your arms down on the ground. The general rule is to do 10 reps and 4 sets. After that exercise you can turn around and have your feet on the ground and arms on the single chair. This will work your inner chest because your arms are close together. Finish your last exercise with triangular push ups. This is just regular form with your back straight and your hands creating a triangle. You will situate your body to where you will touch the middle of your chest inside the triangle for each of the 10 reps and 4 sets. Once you have made it through all the sets you will be dog tired, that is if you can even finish it. Let me know what you think. You will also want to add in a couple of ab workouts. I personally did some standard crunches, some sets where your body is in a 90 degree angle with your legs straight up in the air and you reach with your hands together and touch your toes as many times as you can. Also take your legs and keep them suspended in the air and do circular motions with your legs in one direction and then back the other way. Elevate your head so you are looking at your legs elevated between 20 to 30 degrees. You will love the way that you feel after the exercises and have something great to do, when you are on vacation or on the road. Enjoy some college football this weekend, there are some great games.

Making fitness Goals

Now is the time to evaluate where we are in our goals for fitness.The summer is coming to an end and now is the time that it is harder to stay in control and motivated. With fall just around the corner and winter after that it is easy to slowly let ourselves slip into winter hibernation.Scott and I both feel like it is easier to stay in shape in the summer. We feel like our bodies hold onto the fat more as it gets colder. With Scott's 8 week challenge starting on monday we can also add in our other fitness goals. We need to start now to prevent that winter weight.We are getting back in gear with our blog and we will actively start posting videos, fitness tips, and dieting tips.make your goals of where you want to be and we will help to get you there.Please post your questions in the comment box.We would love to hear.Also take your before pictures or make a verbal commitment in the comment box also.Good Luck!!

lovin the protein

Scott Schwab
I have noticed a couple of things lately with my many travels. In the month of August I spent time in 20 different states mostly driving. Unfortunately my workout schedule was very messed up and not to mention my supplement consumption didn't happen. I started taking energy drinks and even tried those 5 hour energy shots. Honestly I have never felt so off and on edge in my life. Obviously it worked to some degree based on me still being alive. I would like to point out a couple things though. If you as readers are consuming a lot of caffeine in a day, stop! Caffeine does have certain benefits but the consumption is out of control. Most people make the excuse that they have to have it, or based on sugar consumption, (that I do diet which is much better). The best drink for you is still the formula that we all learned in school, H20. If you cut out the pop or soda alone, I can promise you that you can shed about 15 pounds in a month. Drastic I know, but trust me on this. Now the question that everyone always asks about is energy. Replace that caffeine with a great time released protein. You can get the protein anywhere but make sure you are getting the highest level of protein to the lowest level of calories. Even Wal-Mart carries the protein, but what I have seen from what they carry, they give you the figure based on two scoops, which is not accurate. Make sure you are taking that protein at least once a day. You could take it twice, and use one as a meal replacement, and that would be fine as well. I always take mine in the morning with my shake. If any of you have any questions on an inexpensive, yet very flava flav meal, let me know. Being that we will be opening a smoothie shop with the supplements, I have a lot of recipes.In reference to what protein you should take it really depends on your goals. There are those with agents to help you lean, bulk, or even loose weight. My wife and I both take a brand by Dymatize called Elite, Vanilla flavor. You can mix it with water, milk, or again in smoothies. The simple fact is this. Our bodies need protein. Having timed release agents in our protein simply helps deliver it throughout the day as energy. This way you can pitch the caffeine and the excuse that you need it to get you through the day. I have been consistent now for the week and I again feel phenomenal. My workouts are more effective and I can go throughout the entire day with the energy I need. Let me and Drew know if you have any questions. Also Chandi has been taking protein for two years, so she can give you a female perspective.

Having fun while working out

Scott Schwab
This may be obvious to many of us when working out, but it is an observation that I see everyday. I am a people watcher and find that the people who are most consistent are those that are with a partner,trainer,friend, those that are participating in the class, and those who mix their workout up and move quickly between exercises. I have also watched countless people come to the gym and get bored of the exercises, stand around talking or watching and eventually burn out. The scientific formula, which is really not scientific at all is to have fun while you are working out. It is proven that we must expend energy to get energy. Your body will naturally respond positively to you pushing it harder. Muscle confusion, which we have talked about many times in previous posts; is what will keep you going back for more. The reason that people who implore muscle confusion keep going back, is they see results faster and they are not doing the same thing over and over again. You can make fun games and challenges for yourself and others. I personally had a good friend that I worked out with this summer. He and I came up with a sit up that really worked great and kept things fun. What we did is put our feet up on a bench and laid on the ground on opposite sides of the bench. The goal was to do a crunch and reach up and slap right hands with right hands and then to switch with your legs on the side of each other and then slap left hands. It was great because we had to depend on each other to get up and hold the crunch while the other was coming up. We could not slow down or quit because we had set a number that we would achieve. The point is this; don't fool yourself with thoughts of, "well I will go to the gym and do this or that". Decide what you will do and set the numbers that you will do. This is why I always stress the 10 reps and 4 sets. This way I never can let myself off the hook, because I know what I can and will do, even when I do not feel like it. In conclusion I suggest to go to the gym with someone, join a class, or make the commitment to do certain exercises and go and get er done. You will find more satisfaction with your workout, mentally you will feel better, and ultimately you will have the energy to do everything that you desire within a day.

Back Fat

Scott Schwab
With the dedication that I have to eliminate that lower back and the love handles, I thought that I would take some time and write about a workout that would be good for anyone looking to do the same. The most important thing to remember is that you need to do lifts that use a lot of bending, pulling, and lifting. Now make sure that you are protecting your back against hurting it and putting yourself out for weeks. Make sure that for the most part your weight is low and if you start progressing with higher weight; that you lift with your legs. The first exercise is to take either the pulley system weights or 5-10 pound weights. Adjust the handles of the pulley system to the very bottom and but the weight at 10-15 pounds. You will stand with your legs shoulder width apart and with your legs straight reach down to your side with both hands and with a slight bend in your knees take the pulley or dumb bell and reach all the way across your body and lift above your head on the other side. Do 4 sets at 20 reps and repeat with the other side. Next take a 25-35 pound weight that is used for benching and hold it out in front of you. The secret is to try and hold it out straight in front of you. You will take the weight from side to side swinging your body lightly but getting a good stretch. You will also notice that it works many areas and in general is great for upper body(chest, arms, abs, back, shoulders). Make sure that you go from side to side in a sprinkler motion to a count of 20, and 4 sets. The next exercise is to get a slightly heavier set of dumbbells and stand straight up with feet together. You will switch from side to side with letting the dumbbell pull your upper body to the side with the dumbbell getting as close to the floor as possible switching back and forth with both hands. Again you will do 20 total and 4 sets. The final workout in the set of 4 is to hang freely from the pull up bar. This is difficult and you will want to make sure that if you are going to use a weight that you are confident with what you choose. I would recommend starting with no weight. You will hang freely and begin by bringing your knees side to side so you are working your abs and sides very well. You will do knee ups 10 times on each side or a total of 20 if you are just counting. To add in a weight you will pinch a dumbbell(10-15Lb's) between your feet and raise the weight with your knee ups. Same reps of 20 total and 4 sets. You will really benefit yourself the best by doing all of these exercises one after another and work through the sets as quickly as possible. Put all the weights that you will need in one area and just go to town. Finally I would finish with an ab workout even though the exercises that you did worked the abs. Go the extra distance and make sure that you tear them up. I would do crunches on an exercise ball and really get a good stretch down and up. Adding in some regular crunches are great too. If you want to be like Rambo finish with some sprints or ladders. Let me know what you think about the workout. I love it and it really gets things going.